C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001736

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER
DEPT PASS TO WHA AND G/TIP
COPENHAGEN FOR DLAWTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2031
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM PREL SMIG VE
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA RESPONDS TO TIER 3 PLACEMENT

REF: A. STATE 85667


B. STATE 89303

Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b).


1. (C) After several days of working to arrange an
appointment, Poloff delivered 2006 Trafficking in Persons
(TIP) and mini-plan demarches to BRV Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA) Director for North American and Multilateral
Affairs Yaneth Arocha on June 8. Poloff confirmed BRV's
criticism of the U.S. report derives in part from a failure
to distinguish between alien smuggling enforcement and TIP
enforcement. Arocha expressed frustration that this was the
third year in a row Venezuela was listed as a Tier 3 country.
She dismissed the report's validity due to what she called
its unilateral and politicized nature. She also stated the
BRV's view is that these types of reports should only come
from multilateral institutions. Arocha claimed that in spite
of obvious improvements, the Tier 3 placement was simply a
part of escalating tensions between the two governments.


2. (C) Arocha asked to know what exactly are the "minimum
standards" referred to in the report and what criteria is
used to determine them. She also asked what sources were
used to compile statistics, as they appear to her country as
grossly inaccurate. Poloff indicated that U.S. law mirrors
the United Nations international protocol on trafficking in
persons and referred her to the nonpaper delivered to the
BRV, per instructions in reftel b. At the end of the
meeting, Arocha did indicate a willingness to review our
recommendations with the Ministry of Interior and Justice
(MIJ) to see where there may be room for improvement.


3. (C) COMMENT: The BRV's initial public reaction to the
release of the TIP report and their questions to Department
spokesman Sean McCormack led us to believe the BRV is not
distinguishing between TIP and alien smuggling. We believe
the statistics provided to us in the immediate aftermath of
the report's release are not necessarily inaccurate but, as
in last year's response, largely pertain to efforts to combat
smugglers or coyotes, not traffickers as we define them, and
are therefore immaterial. (Post is attempting to work with
MIJ to review the statistics provided). Arocha's comments to
poloff confirmed our suspicions. The BRV asserts both
trafficking and smuggling are businesses involved in moving
people, motives notwithstanding. In fact, Arocha expressed
incredulity that the BRV could possibly be a Tier 3 country,
while countries such as Mexico and Guatemala - two countries
with clearly high volumes of people movement - could be
ranked higher. These sentiments demonstrate a melding of the
illegal immigration/smuggling concern with that of actual
trafficking. While it could be an intentional tactic to
cover up their TIP deficiencies, it more likely signals the
fundamental way they see the issue.

WHITAKER